Striders

Striders are passive mobs introduced in patch v1.16 and were found exclusively in the nether. They can walk/stride on lava and can be ridden by the player. Striders can be controlled with a warped fungus on a stick, similar to how pigs are controlled with a carrot on a stick.

Where do Striders spawn?

Since striders are not exclusive to a single biome, you can find them all over the nether. They spawn in groups of 2-4 on top of lava blocks with air blocks on top. Strider is the only passive mob in the nether and spawning attempts are made every 400 ticks in the Java Edition. In the Bedrock Edition, strider spawn rates are capped and they also vary from biome to biome. Baby striders have a 1/10 chance of spawning on top of an adult strider but they will not dismount the adult even after growing up.

A group of striders on the lava sea (Via Screenshot)

On rare occasions (1/30), a zombified piglin with a saddle and warped fungus on a stick can spawn on top of a strider. Sometimes, a strider might accidentally spawn under lava, but then rises out of it.

A Zombified pigling riding a strider (Via Screnshot)

How do striders behave?

Striders are immune to damage from lava so unlike most mobs, they can walk on lava without sinking. When harmed by other mobs, striders tend to flee for a couple of seconds while making noises. Striders, unlike piglins and other mobs from the nether, can survive in the overworld as long as they are kept out of rain and water. They also don't get zombified after leaving the nether. Once brought into the overworld they will change their color into a dull purple, and change their expression to one which makes them look as if they are frowning. Their legs become slightly shorter and they shiver. While moving on land they're considerably slower compared to walking on lava. Even with the Speed effect applied, they are still slower on land. Striders can also be bred with warped fungus.

A purple and shivering strider in the overworld (Via Screenshots)

What does a strider drop?

When killed, adult striders will drop 2-5 strings, and the maximum amount dropped is increased by 1 per level of looting on the weapon for a maximum of 2-8 strings with looting level 3. The experience received is either 1-2 or 1-3 for Java and Bedrock Editions respectively. When bred, striders will drop 1-7 experience points. If a strider has spawned with a saddle, they will have an 8.5% chance to drop the saddle when killed.

Riding

Players can ride adult striders with a saddle and attach them to leads as well. Striders can be controlled with the help of a warped fungus on a stick as they will move forward in the direction the stick is pointed in. When riding them on lava, they are quick and can move at a speed of

4.14 m/s, but this speed is drastically reduced to 1.74 m/s when on land. When the warped fungus on a stick is used, it will cause the strider to walk at a faster pace but this will reduce the durability by 1 from the warped fungus on a stick.

Java Edition players don't have to worry about their striders wandering away, as they never move on their own accord, unless being directed with a warped fungus on a stick. In the Bedrock Edition, striders will wander around freely and even when a player has mounted them if they are not being directed. If the strider accidentally sinks into the lava it will rise back up out of it but the player will receive damage from the lava. Just as players can’t use a nether portal while riding a horse, the same applies to players riding striders.

A player riding a strider while leading it with a warped fungus on a stick (Via Screenshot)

Breeding

When striders are fed warped fungus, they will breed to create baby striders and drop 1-7 experience orbs for the player. There is a cooldown of 5 minutes before the same striders can breed again. Baby striders obtained through breeding take 20 minutes to mature, but this can be accelerated by feeding them warped fungus, which will reduce the time by 10% per use.

History

In snapshot 20w13a in v1.6, Striders along with their babies were added to the game and they could be ridden by piglins and baby striders. During 1.16, lots of minor changes and updates were made for striders through snapshots. Some notable changes that were made included the changing of their body color when brought to the overworld, and multiple texture updates ranging from minor changes to the removal of their fins, which were not visible in-game.

Conclusion

Striders are a must-have if you are looking to explore the nether extensively, as their ability to walk on lava without taking damage is unique for a mob that can be ridden and controlled.

Trivia

Striders were the second mob added to the game that needed an item on a stick to control their movement. They were also the second passive mob from which string could be obtained, the first one being cats. Even if they are placed on lava, they will take damage from rain.